Ambulatory route management based on a personal drone

ABSTRACT

Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for route planning and management with a drone. Aspects include receiving a destination for an individual and determining multiple routes between a position of the individual and the destination. Aspects further include deploying the drone to determine safety and accessibility risks associated with the multiple routes and determining a preferred route from the multiple routes based on the safety and accessibility risks associated with the multiple routes.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to ambulatory route management, and morespecifically, to methods, systems and computer program products forroute planning and management based on reconnaissance performed by apersonal drone.

In general, individuals with ambulatory impairments or ambulatorydisability have a physical condition that makes moving from place toplace difficult. Often these individuals rely on a mobility device toassist them in moving from place to place. Mobility devices can include,but are not limited to, a cane or walking stick, a walker, a wheelchair,and a motorized wheelchair or scooter. While the use of mobility devicesmake moving from place to place easier on an individual, the use of themobility devices may present impediments that can require the individualto take a different route than the user may otherwise select. Forexample, a user of a wheelchair may take a longer route from an originto a destination in order to avoid stairs or a steep grade that would bedifficult for the individual to traverse in the wheelchair.

Additionally, in many cases individuals are not aware of potentialimpediments along a route until they are actually encountered. Thisresults in the individual having to take an unnecessarily circuitousroute to get to their desired location, which is not ideal forindividuals with ambulatory impairments or disabilities.

SUMMARY

In accordance with an embodiment, a method for route planning andmanagement with a drone is provided. The method includes receiving adestination for an individual and determining multiple routes between aposition of the individual and the destination. The method also includesdeploying the drone to determine safety and accessibility risksassociated with the multiple routes and determining a preferred routefrom the multiple routes based on the safety and accessibility risksassociated with the multiple routes.

In accordance with another embodiment, a system for route planning andmanagement with a drone includes a processor disposed in a mobiledevice, the processor being configured to perform a method. The methodincludes receiving a destination for an individual and determiningmultiple routes between a position of the individual and thedestination. The method also includes deploying the drone to determinesafety and accessibility risks associated with the multiple routes anddetermining a preferred route from the multiple routes based on thesafety and accessibility risks associated with the multiple routes.

In accordance with a further embodiment, a computer program product forroute planning and management with a drone includes a non-transitorystorage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructionsfor execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. Themethod receiving a destination for an individual and determiningmultiple routes between a position of the individual and thedestination. The method also includes deploying the drone to determinesafety and accessibility risks associated with the multiple routes anddetermining a preferred route from the multiple routes based on thesafety and accessibility risks associated with the multiple routes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The forgoing and other features, and advantages ofthe invention are apparent from the following detailed description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one example of a processingsystem for practice of the teachings herein;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system for route planning andmanagement with a personal drone in accordance with exemplaryembodiments; and

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for route planning and managementwith a personal drone in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, methods,systems and computer program products for route planning and managementwith a personal drone are provided. In exemplary embodiments, thepersonal drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be remotelycontrolled by a user to survey one or more potential routes for theindividual and to convey information regarding the one or more routes tothe user. In exemplary embodiments, the information regarding the routesincludes safety and accessibility information for the route (e.g.,whether a route has sidewalks, stairs, steep grades, or otherimpediments). In exemplary embodiments, the individual may use theinformation provided by the drone to plan a route that avoids safetyand/or accessibility impediments. The route planning may be performed bya processing system disposed on the drone or by a mobile device of theindividual that is configured to receive the safety and accessibilityinformation from the drone.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of a processing system100 for implementing the teachings herein. In this embodiment, thesystem 100 has one or more central processing units (processors) 101 a,101 b, 101 c, etc. (collectively or generically referred to asprocessor(s) 101). In one embodiment, each processor 101 may include areduced instruction set computer (RISC) microprocessor. Processors 101are coupled to system memory 114 and various other components via asystem bus 113. Read only memory (ROM) 102 is coupled to the system bus113 and may include a basic input/output system (BIOS), which controlscertain basic functions of system 100.

FIG. 1 further depicts an input/output (I/O) adapter 107 and a networkadapter 106 coupled to the system bus 113. I/O adapter 107 may be asmall computer system interface (SCSI) adapter that communicates with ahard disk 103 and/or tape storage drive 105 or any other similarcomponent. I/O adapter 107, hard disk 103, and tape storage device 105are collectively referred to herein as mass storage 104. Operatingsystem 120 for execution on the processing system 100 may be stored inmass storage 104. A network adapter 106 interconnects bus 113 with anoutside network 116 enabling data processing system 100 to communicatewith other such systems. A screen (e.g., a display monitor) 115 isconnected to system bus 113 by display adaptor 112, which may include agraphics adapter to improve the performance of graphics intensiveapplications and a video controller. In one embodiment, adapters 107,106, and 112 may be connected to one or more I/O busses that areconnected to system bus 113 via an intermediate bus bridge (not shown).Suitable I/O buses for connecting peripheral devices such as hard diskcontrollers, network adapters, and graphics adapters typically includecommon protocols, such as the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI).Additional input/output devices are shown as connected to system bus 113via user interface adapter 108 and display adapter 112. A keyboard 109,mouse 110, and speaker 111 all interconnected to bus 113 via userinterface adapter 108, which may include, for example, a Super I/O chipintegrating multiple device adapters into a single integrated circuit.

Thus, as configured in FIG. 1, the system 100 includes processingcapability in the form of processors 101, storage capability includingsystem memory 114 and mass storage 104, input means such as keyboard 109and mouse 110, and output capability including speaker 111 and display115. In one embodiment, a portion of system memory 114 and mass storage104 collectively store an operating system such as the AIX® operatingsystem from IBM Corporation to coordinate the functions of the variouscomponents shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a system 200 for route planning and managementwith a personal drone in accordance with exemplary embodiment is shown.In exemplary embodiments, the system 200 includes an individual 202 thatmay be using a mobility device 204. In exemplary embodiments, themobility device 202 may be, but is not limited to, a cane or walkingstick, a walker, a wheelchair, and a motorized wheelchair or scooter. Inaddition, the individual 202 may also have a mobile device 206, such asa smartphone or tablet, which is configured to communicate with thedrone 208. The mobile device 206 may include a processing system similarto the one shown in FIG. 1.

The system 200 also includes a drone 210 that is an unmanned aerialvehicle. In exemplary embodiments, the drone 210 may be remotelycontrolled by the individual 202 through a dedicated remote control (notshown) or by the mobile device 206. The drone 210 includes an imagecapture device 212, a processing system 214, a power supply 216, and acommunications device 218. In exemplary embodiments, the image capturedevice 212 may be a camera, a video camera, or the like. The processingsystem 214 is configured to communicate with the image capture device212 and to process information provided by the image capture device 212to identify safety and environmental impediments. The safety andenvironmental impediments may include, but are not limited to, steps,holes, snow, ice, cracks in sidewalks, crowds, fire, smoke, or sunglare. In exemplary embodiments, the processing system 214 may include aprocessing system similar to the one shown in FIG. 1. The drone 202 ispowered by a power supply 216 which may include a battery and one ormore energy generation devices, such as a solar panel. In exemplaryembodiments, the drone may be sensitive to signals such as from bus stopsigns, crosswalk signs, etc.

In exemplary embodiments, the processing system 214 is configured tocommunicate with the individual via the communications device 218. Inexemplary embodiments, the communications device 218 may include atransceiver configured to communicate with a remote control or with themobile device 206. The communications device 218 may include anaudio/video display that is used to communicate directly with theindividual. For example, in embodiments where the drone 210 plans aroute based on its observations and upon the destination set by theindividual 202, the communications device 218 may include a speakerand/or video screen that are used to provide the individual 202 withrouting directions. In various embodiments, the routing directions maybe conveyed to the individual 202 via an audible indication, a tactileindication, a visual map, etc.

In exemplary embodiments, the drone 210 is configured to dock with theindividual 202 via an attachment point. The attachment point may bedisposed on the individual 202 or on the mobility device 204 of theindividual. For example, the attachment point may be any of: a perch onthe user's shoulder; a dock on a walking stick for the visuallyimpaired; or a dock on a wheel chair. In exemplary embodiments, thedrone 210 may be configured to charge and or transfer data while dockedto the attachment point. The attachment point may include a dockingsurface, an orientation mechanism that adjusts the docking surface toprovide a level docking area, and an alignment mechanism coupled withthe docking surface that moves the drone slightly to a predeterminedlocation on the docking surface for automated recharging and/or datatransfer. In exemplary embodiments, a latching mechanism may secure thedrone to the docking surface of the attachment point.

In exemplary embodiments, the drone 210 may be configured to receiveinformation from a road guidance system for the blind, such as thesystem disclosed in United States Patent Application Publication No.2013/0332018. For example, RFID tags can be buried inside a pedestrianpavement with information regarding the roads stored in the RFID tags.The communications device 218 of the drone 210 may include an RFIDreader for checking signals of such RFID tags. Accordingly, the drone210 may make it easier for blind or visually impaired people to accessinformation regarding the roads that is usually made to publictransportation users visually, through posters or informative signs, orthrough dynamic information screens.

In some embodiments, the drone 210 may convey information to theindividual via a wearable tactile navigation system. The wearabletactile navigation system frees a user from requiring the use of hereyes as there is no display, and all positional information is conveyedvia touch. For example, as with a compass, the device may “nudge” a usertowards North. As a GPS navigator, coupled with information provided bythe drone, the device orients a user towards a landmark (e.g., home) andlets the user feel how far away home is. One application of the systemis as a wayfinding device for people that are blind and for people thatsuffer from Alzheimer's disease, but there are many other applicationswhere it is desirable to provide geographical information from the dronein tactile form as opposed to providing it in visual or auditory form.

In exemplary embodiments, the drone 210 may recommend routes withreduced sun glare and avoid routes with low visibility (e.g., avoidareas with deep shadows). In addition, the drone 210 can be configuredto scout for a preferred entry to a building given the needs of theindividual (e.g., one with the fewest stairs, or an ADA-compliantentry). The drone 210 may also assess the steepness of a wheelchair rampin deciding a preferred entry to a building. In exemplary embodiments,the mobile device 206 and/or the drone 210 may store a profile of theindividual that includes medical information regarding the individualthat affects the user's ambulatory ability. For example, the individualprofile may indicate that the user can only traverse a maximum grade ora maximum number of steps or that the user has a visual or audioimpairment.

In exemplary embodiments, the drone 210 is coupled to an ambulatoryroute planning system disposed in the mobile device 204. The routeplanning system may use GPS data, map data, traffic reports, and theindividual profile in order to evaluate possible routes for theindividual. The routes may be ranked, such that two (or more) routesrequire further drone 210 based discrimination in order to determinewhich to recommend to the individual. This assessment can then made bydeploying the drone 210 to observe the routes. The drone 210 or themobile device 206 may make the determination of the preferred route forthe individual by measuring scene clutter and noise along each candidateroute. As used herein, scene clutter includes obstructions, crowds,etc., along the route noise includes dangerous conditions such astraffic and construction, as well as fire. In an exemplary embodiment, amultidimensional discrimination analysis is performed on data collectedfor each the candidate routes and a recommendation is made.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a flow diagram of a method 300 for routeplanning and management with a personal drone in accordance with anexemplary embodiment is shown. As shown at block 302, the method 300includes receiving a destination for an individual. Next, as shown atblock 304, the method 300 includes determining multiple routes between aposition of the individual and the destination. The method 300 alsoincludes deploying a drone to determine safety and accessibility risksassociated with the multiple routes, as shown at block 306. In exemplaryembodiments, triggering of the drone to leave the individual to scoutthe routes may be manual or automatic (e.g., based on an estimate oflikely risk). In exemplary embodiments, automatic triggering of thedrone to leave the individual to scout the routes may be may take intoconsideration a profile of the individual (e.g., blind, Parkinson's,pre-Alzheimer's, elderly, child, etc.) In addition, the determination toautomatically deploy the drone may be based on an estimate of likelyrisk along the multiple routes. The estimate of likely risk can be basedon historical use of the route by the individual or from data about theroutes received from other users in a crowd sourced information system.

Next, as shown at block 308, the method 300 includes determining apreferred route from the multiple routes based on the safety andaccessibility risks associated with the multiple routes. In exemplaryembodiments, the determination of the preferred route is further basedon a profile of the individual, which includes medical information ofthe individual. In one embodiment, the drone may return to theindividual to conveying such safety and accessibility risks to theindividual prior to the determination of the preferred route. In anotherembodiment, the drone may wirelessly transmit the safety andaccessibility risks to the individual prior to returning to theindividual. As shown at block 310, the method 300 may optionally includeproviding route guidance along the preferred route to the individual.The route guidance may be provided via audio, visual, or tactile signalsto the individual.

In exemplary embodiments, the safety and accessibility risks mayinclude, but are not limited to, steps, holes, snow, ice, cracks insidewalks, crowds, fire, smoke, or sun glare. Likewise, the safety andaccessibility risks may include allergens, cigarette smoke, and triggersfor phobias (such as heights, bridges, barking dogs, etc.). For disastersituations, such as forest, brush, and wild fires, safety andaccessibility risks may include the location of fires and heavy smoke.

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product. The computer program product may include a computerreadable storage medium (or media) having computer readable programinstructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of thepresent invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present invention may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in anycombination of one or more programming languages, including an objectoriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, andconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language or similar programming languages. The computerreadable program instructions may execute entirely on the user'scomputer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone softwarepackage, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computeror entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through anytype of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example,programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), orprogrammable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readableprogram instructions by utilizing state information of the computerreadable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry,in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer program product for route planning andmanagement with a drone, the computer program product comprising: anon-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit andstoring instructions for execution by the processing circuit forperforming a method comprising: receiving a destination for anindividual; determining multiple routes between a position of theindividual and the destination; deploying the drone to determine one ormore of safety and accessibility risks associated with the multipleroutes; determining a preferred route from the multiple routes based onthe safety and accessibility risks associated with the multiple routes;and providing route guidance along the preferred route to the individualby one or more of audio signals, visual signal, or tactile signals tothe individual.
 2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein thedetermination of the preferred route is further based on a profile ofthe individual that includes medical information of the user.
 3. Thecomputer program product of claim 1, wherein a determination to deploythe drone is automatic and is based on an estimate of likely risk alongthe multiple routes.
 4. The computer program product of claim 1, whereinthe drone is configured to attach to a mobility device of theindividual.
 5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein thesafety and accessibility risks include one or more of: steps, holes,snow, ice, cracks in sidewalks, crowds, fire, smoke, and sun glare. 6.The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the drone is configuredto attach to the individual.
 7. A system for route planning andmanagement with a drone, comprising: a mobile device having processor incommunication with the drone, the processor configured to: receive adestination for an individual; determine multiple routes between aposition of the individual and the destination; deploy the drone todetermine one or more of safety and accessibility risks associated withthe multiple routes; determine a preferred route from the multipleroutes based on the safety and accessibility risks associated with themultiple routes; and provide route guidance along the preferred route tothe individual by one or more of audio signals, visual signal, ortactile signals to the individual.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein thedetermination of the preferred route is further based on a profile ofthe individual that includes medical information of the user.
 9. Thesystem of claim 7, wherein a determination to deploy the drone isautomatic and is based on an estimate of likely risk along the multipleroutes.
 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the drone is configured toattach to a mobility device of the individual.
 11. The system of claim7, wherein the safety and accessibility risks include one or more of:steps, holes, snow, ice, cracks in sidewalks, crowds, fire, smoke, andsun glare.